The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1887-01-12

closure to be inserted In some obscure paper Of
small circulation for twelve successive weeks.
and whom the sale takes place himself be-
comes the purchaser. In the meantime the
lender IL not pressed for payment, and when
at the end OF twelve months thereafter he
has obtained the necessary money and goes to
the lender to pay the debt no learns for the frst
time, when IL il too late to redeem, that the
mortgage has been fnreciosed The mortgage
has passed into an absolute deed, and he has
sold his property, possibly all no has in the
world, f)r fifty cents ON the dollar of its value.
This ia no fancy picture, but IL simply what has
occurred. not once, but many times.
The statute should DO 30 amended as to require
personal service Of n copy of the notice on the
owner OF the property when known, or shown of
record and ON tho person in actual possession
OF the property. 10 is astonishing that the law
should have been suffered to continue in this
condition so long.
Many bills were introduced i'm the last Legis-
lature that by their terms We're antagonistc TO
the railroads OF the State. am no advocate
of the right OF n railroad against the right OF
individuals, but both should stand on an equal
footing BY an examination of the report of
the Commissioners of Railroads you will ascer-
tain that the average local ratio per ton per
mile OF freight hauled in the State of Michigan
last year ia o. leo of l cent per ton per mile ;
or TO put the case little more plainly il is the
hauling of a ton of freight, which would make a
good wagon-loa1 for farmers team, 100 miles
for 92 cents. % cents TO take the same load to
market distance OF % miles. We can there
fore see how cheaply railroads are doing
our business. Added TO this, the railroads
are obliged to incur the expenses of
loading and unloading such merchandise. Tho
railroads of the State are paying for labor alone
which does not include salaried officers, $4,000,
900 per annum, and are to-day employing over
20, 900 men Add to this large force the num-
Der of men engaged in manufacturing cars, ties
fences, telegraph poles and other materials
used by roads, and you will find that at least
100, 900 people are supported by them, which, of
course, include their families. Those people
are fed by the products of your farms which
are thus given home market. have brought
this matter to your attention to simply ask you
that no legislation shall be had that viii dis
turb the present prosperity of the State and the
amicaDle relations that exist between NIL
classes OF its people. Let US hope that the
present beginning of another era OF prosperity
NAV be long uninterrupted
10 State troops are thoroughly armed and
equipped. Nearly all arc armed with the new
improved Springfield rifle, and the whole force
il well uniformed, much of it being new. Two
years ago the military fund was largely over
drawn and many debts left US as legacy. Six
companies have been added TO the force, as pro-
vided by the last Legislature which have been
mustered, armed ana uniformed; and to-day
this department is out Of debt and n handsome
balance has been turned over for the ensuing
year.
This state of affairs is largely due TO the able
and untirng energy of Brigadier General j. II.
Kidd, Inspector General; Brigadier General
Geo. A. Hart. Quartermaster General and 10
the State Military Board, consisting of Colonel
Henry NJ Duflield, Inspector General Kidd and
Colonel Chas. D. Long. Every item of expendi-
turo has been carefully considered ana all pos
sible economy consistent with the efficiency of
the troops has been prncticed.
OF the troops it can be truthfully said that no
finer body of men are enrolled in any State, and
the drill is as near perfection as the most crit
icnl army officer could ask. This is due TO the
labors of Brigadier General /. G. Smith COM
manding ably seconded by the commanding
officers Of regiments and companies.
The discipline of the men m camp when off
duty can, and / trust will, be improved. The
force is made up mostly OF young mon who look
upon camp life somewhat as a holiday season,
and while they are always ready, promptly, for
duty when called, yet whom of duty they can
not always forget they were once boys, nor al
ways member they are now soldiers, and are
too apt to practice boyish ways; nothing, how
ever, of vicious character. None the less they
are IA splendid body of men. and their presence
in the State is indispensable.
commend the several reports of the Adjutant
General Inspector General and Quartermaster
General to your careful scrutiny
Brig Gen. John Robertson, Adjutant General,
has filed his office continuously from the COM
mencement OF the war 70 tie present. He is
able, conscientious, andsfaithful. l am glad he
is TO be continued in office, as every old soldier
in the State, as we'll as of the State troops, has
n warm spot in his heart for him
wish to publicly thank the members of my
staff, Brig. Gems. j. II. Kidd and Geo. A. Hart,
Coils. j. sumner Rogers, Henry NJ Dufheld,
Chas. d. Long, ID. b. Anger, Jas. ~ Cox, Aaron
II. Bliss, and Jas. A. Kellogg, Lieut.. Coils. G. NJ.
Devlin and Geo. III. Hopkins, Majors A. i. Par
sons and q. II. Osmun, for their uniform atten-
ans, all carrying the scars OF wounds received
in battle, they made up military family OF
whom any Executive may be proud.
The Military Academy at Orchard Lake is, in
a measure, n State institution; receiving, how
ever, no pecuniary aid from the State. Nor
does its chief Col. Rogers, ask any. 1t is n
most excellent school. One can always detect
a cadet from the Academy by his military bear
ing.
In order to encourage the young men who re-
ceive their education there, / recommend that
law be passed authorizing the Executive to
commission all graduates OF that Academy as
line officers in this State without command or
pay, but subject TO call at any time by the State
should their services be required.
also recommend that the law include gradu-
atss in the excellent military department OF
the Agricultural College, which has also my
most hearty sympathy and appreciation. Pro
vided always, that such graduates of either in.
stitution are residents Of this state.
/ am well aware that now approach bat
tie field" brstling with the bayonets of different
opinions, and that am sublecting myself 10 a
fire from many quarters. However, this great
question must be met and trust it will be, re-
CARELESS of any motive save what is for the best
public good.
In my inaugural two years since I recon-
mended the abolition OF the contract labor sys'
tenn. 1t was then sentiment, and so little sor
ously considered by myself that when, at the
closing hours OF the session of the Legislature
thought felt obliged to defeat the meas
ure and prevent it from becoming @
law. This was worry humiliating &c
me for the reason that had TO publicly confess
that my recommendation that such law be
passed was not we'll considered. was urged
by people of all political parties, in great mum
bers TO allow the measure TO become n law, bat
could not do so under my convictions that Il
was impracticable as well as wrong. Since that
time have taken much pains TO get all the
light possible upon the subject, and the more
Investigate the matter the stronger are my con
victions that the contract system Is the best anc
safest and ought to stand. There are but foul
conditions possible 10 adopt for conyicts. These
are, the contract system, the Piece-price sys
tenn, the State account system, and dleness
The latter am sure you will not consider for
moment, as il means solitary confinement de
generation, and destruction. There Is no con
diton SO dreaded by prisoners as being locked
in their cells in idleness. 1t destroys tho mno
and body, and the piteous appeals OF prisoners
so confined to he taken out and set to work,
am credibly informed, are terrible TO witness.
This, then, reduces the number to three. an
fully aware that political parties of every pro
fession declaim against the contract system
Have they considered il fully? We will take
this system up first. OF course the main reason
urged against it is that it brings the product o
labor OF convicts in competition with homes
toll. IL this 10 correct, and we'will suppos'
il ia for the moment, can ii possibly ID
avoided? First, il is fair to suppose that thu
convict before his arrest and confinement
was producing something. III no was not, TIT
State ought to make him do so, and ever,
honest, Woodworking laborer should sa,
Amen" to it. IL he was producing something
before conviction, then his product is not in
creased nor is honest labor wronged by hi
change OF location. Taking, thon, for granite,
that these prisoners must work, we have thi
state OF affairs that must be met. III they work
as they must, they must produce something.
produced. such articles as are manufacture,
Int nra